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The Capital Regional District Recognizes Adrena LINE Zipline Adventure Tours as the winner of the 2011 Eco Star Award for Land Stewardship

Sooke, BC, June 2, 2011: Adrena LINE Zipline Adventure Tours is excited to receive the 2011 Eco Star Award from the Capital Regional District in the category of Land Stewardship.

The Land Stewardship Award recognizes individuals, groups, or organizations working on preserving, enhancing or restoring ecosystems and/or land for local food production, urban forests or natural parks. Innovation and education, protection and preservation of our natural landscapes are important aspects of the Land Stewardship Award, and could include urban forest projects, ecosystem planning, best practices in land use management or food security education programs.

“This award is a direct result of the collective effort within our organization and the dedication of our key partners at The Land Conservancy.  The ownership at Adrena LINE and our Zipline Operations Manager were fully commited to reducing our environmental impact through various internal initiatives.  Bill Turner and his excellent team at The Land Conservancy were also intstrumental in partnering with us to create another way we could conserve land beyond our 100 acres in the Sooke Hills” Sales and Marketing Manager Jonathan Heerema said. “We would like our efforts to reflect our values.  We also want to inspire others businesses in the community to reduce their impact on the environment”, said owner Scott McQueen.

Adrena LINE Zipline Adventure Tours has built a solid reputation by providing a world class ziplining experience for tourists and adventure seekers in British Columbia. Adrena LINE offers zip line tours daily in 2011, from March 2nd through the end of October, as well as Night Zipping offered on select dates starting in March and the Haunted Zip offered at the end of October. We are accessible for almost any adventure seeking guest. Be on the lookout for more exciting events and new adventures in the near future and check our website at www.adrenalinezip.com for information as it becomes available.

Media Contact:
Jonathan Heerema
Sales and Marketing Manager
Adrena LINE Zipline Adventure Tours
250-642-1933
www.adrenalinezip.com

Last week at Tourism Victoria’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony held at the Inn at Laurel Point, we crowned the 2009 Environment Award winners. These awards recognize the efforts to preserve the environment for the benefit of residents and visitors alike, and for seeing the future through the eyes of tomorrow’s children. Tourism Victoria presents three Environment Awards each year at the organization’s Annual General Meeting.

Congratulations to our 2009 Environment Award Winners!

Individual: Jennifer Davies

2009 Environment Award - Individual

Jennifer Davies is a dedicated member of the community currently expanding her business – The Hair Garden Salon- due to a demand for her services. Jennifer offers an eco-friendly salon environment that focuses on using natural products that are gentle and non toxic. Natural hair dyes, makeup, skin care and even cleaning supplies are just a few things you can find at the Hair Garden. Jennifer is affiliated with such groups as The Green Collective, which offers a chance for the Vancouver Island community to choose eco-conscious products and services. She continually participates in the effort to promote environmental awareness and donates generously to several local events and charities. Jennifer is a leader in the green initiative and will continue to be a role model for business women, environmental efforts and Entrepreneurs alike!

Corporate: Maple Leaf Adventures

2009 Environment Award - Corporate

Maple Leaf Adventures is designed from inside out as an ecotourism organization: in a 360- degree view of the company, every action should have low/no impact on the environment, enhance conservation, support local communities and educate. Maple Leaf Adventures donates at least 1% of gross sales to coastal conservation – the first cruise company in the world to be part of 1% For The Planet. Canada and BC, along with the Wilderness Tourism Association(WTO), have recognized Maple Leaf as a steward of the environment. Maple Leaf donates hundreds of hours a year to foster ecotourism, including working with government on behalf of operators, serving in wilderness tourism organizations, and co-founding the Commercial Bear Viewing Association, to develop a responsible bear viewing industry and guides. Maple Leaf trips have no impact on coastal habitat. Voluntary conservation programs include bilge filtering, holding tanks, recycling, underwater noise reduction, and the ultimate fuel conservation: sailing. Maple Leaf Adventures is proving themselves as leaders in proving that ecotourism is a fun, inspiring – world-leading industry in BC – and that you can design a prosperous business while preserving the environment!

Organization: Fisherman’s Wharf Community Association

2009 Environment Award - Organization

The Fisherman’s Wharf Community Association is the official organization of the approximately 50 residents who live in the 33 float homes at Fisherman’s Wharf. They have a sincere respect and appreciation for their unique marine environment and actively work towards Environmental stewardship. The Environmental Committee has been active for 3 years in its work towards seeking an increased connection to the environment and adopting practices that promote a greener and more environmentally respectful lifestyle. The committee identifies four areas that they actively pursue their desire to have as minimal impact on the environment as possible. Through community education, lifestyle, gardening and transportation they are proving a green lifestyle is rewarding both personally and globally.

We here at Tourism Victoria are very extend our most sincere congratulations to all of the 2009 award winners. For more information on the awards and to read about the Miracle Award Honouree, you can visit www.tourismvictoria.com.

April 22 marks an International awareness campaign led by the Earth Day Network. They have a global reach with more than 1 billion people participating in Earth Day activities in some way or another.  Earth Day is the largest secular civic event on the globe and 2010 marks her 40^th birthday!

We all have an ability to participate in some way, to raise awareness and contribute to Earth Day initiatives across the globe. Our humble city takes great pride in this annual event and every year I see new initiatives and events spring into action.

One new initiative this year caught my attention because it’s such a natural partnership. The Land Conservatory of BC (TLC) is celebrating a new partnership with Adrena Line Zip Line Adventure Tours  and Five Star Whale Watching for Earth Day 2010. Both of these wilderness adventure companies will be donating proceeds from their tours on Earth Day (Thursday, April 22, 2010) to TLC’s Wild Hills and Beaches Campaign to help purchase Western Forest Products lands in the Jordan River and Sooke Hills area.

 Another new Earth Day initiative in Victoria will take place at Parkside Victoria Resort & Spa. The recently awarded hotel in both Resort Design and Site Plan Design & Utilization categories at the 2010 American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Convention and Exposition Award Gala, have a whole day of events planned to celebrate the Earth, nature and sustainability in a fun, educational and festive setting. They are inviting the Community to their Lights Out Party & Earth Day Extravaganza They are also recruiting members to join their Living Planet Community group  on World Wildlife Fund and are offering a chance to win two free nights stay at their hotel. 

There are so many events and initiatives that it would be impossible for me to tell you about all of them in this post. I did however find the following links helpful in exploring the different events taking place in Greater Victoria: Earth Walk | Royal Roads University | University of Victoria | The Bay Centre | Easter Seals Earth Day Concert | Pacific Northwest Raptors | 2010 Earth Day Taste Challenge

The Victoria International Airport (YYJ) offers a bicycle assembly station which includes a work bench, air pump, bicycle parking, storage shed with cardboard bicycle boxes so you can take a box or leave one for someone else, and bicycle storage lockers. Next time you are travelling in or out of YYJ consider pedal power!

The Butchart Gardens located in Victoria, BC recently unveiled the much anticipated Rose Carousel in the Children’s Pavilion at the beginning of December 2009. The only one of its kind on Vancouver Island, the Rose Carousel has nearly thirty hand-carved, hand-painted animals that reflect the international variety of travellers who visit The Butchart Gardens each year.

There are also two specially designed chariots to accommodate disabled visitors. The Children’s Pavilion, designed by well known Victoria architect Terence Williams, will be a domed 7,500-square-foot pavilion with an event room and the reconstructed Coffee Bar West.

The Children’s Pavilion has incorporated LEED design principles and criteria, exemplified by such features as the living green roof planted with native mosses and sedum, which allows the architecture to blend into the existing landscape of the nearby Rose Garden. Other sustainable design features include radiant floor heating produced by an on-site water to water geothermal heat pump, the use of natural light and natural ventilation techniques to offset energy consumption. The Rose Carousel is sure to appeal to the young and the young at heart, while at the same time leaving a child-sized carbon footprint.

For more information visit www.butchartgardens.com